Senecio plant named ‘AMICU1908’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Senecio  plant named ‘AMICU1908’ which is characterized by a compact and upright growth habit, a glaucous greyed-green stem, glaucous greyed-green foliage, narrowly oblanceolate and falcate foliage, semi-terete to terete foliage with an obvious longitudinal channel running the length of the leaf, foliar margins that occasionally develop two spines on opposite sides of the leaf, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Senecio hybrid.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Senecio disclosed hereinhas been given the variety denomination ‘AMICU1908’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMICU1908’ is a seedling selection resulting from thecontrolled pollination of an unnamed Senecio kleiniiformis plant (notpatented), the seed parent, with an unnamed Curio ficoides plant (notpatented), the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor inthe spring of 2018 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. In the autumn of 2018, one seedling resulting from thecrossing was observed to exhibit unique growth and foliagecharacteristics and was isolated for further evaluation in order toconfirm the distinctness and stability of the characteristics firstobserved. Upon confirmation of distinctness and stability, ‘AMICU1908’was selected for commercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar‘AMICU1908’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in thewinter of 2018 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard,the Netherlands. Through four subsequent generations, the uniquefeatures of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMICU1908’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘AMICU1908’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘AMICU1908’ as a new and distinct Senecio cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘AMICU1908’ exhibits a compact, upright growth habit with a        single near-vertical stem bearing foliage that is held upright        and outward; and    -   2. ‘AMICU1908’ exhibits a glaucous yellow-green stem, generally        appearing as a greyed-green coloration due to the thick layer of        greyed-green epicuticular wax; and    -   3. ‘AMICU1908’ exhibits glaucous green foliage, generally        appearing as a greyed-green coloration due to the thick layer of        greyed-green epicuticular wax; and    -   4. ‘AMICU1908’ exhibits narrowly oblanceolate, falcate and        semi-terete to terete foliage with a longitudinal channel        running the length of the leaf; and    -   5. ‘AMICU1908’ exhibits foliar margins that occasionally develop        two spines on opposite sides of the leaf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, three exemplary plants of‘AMICU1908’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. The plants are approximately 12 months old, shown plantedin an 11 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of‘AMICU1908’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in January of 2020describe averages from a sample set of three specimens of 12 months old‘AMICU1908’ plants grown in 11 cm nursery containers at commercialgreenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced usingconventional greenhouse production protocols for Senecio plants whichconsisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, andchemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug andBotrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percentshade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began tomature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to theplants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMICU1908’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMICU1908’ and comparisons with the parentplants and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Compact, upright succulent perennial with            foliage borne on a single unbranched stem.        -   Plant profile.—Ovate.        -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—14.0 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 11.3 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast growing.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting            — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time —            Approximately 25 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a 7            cm container.        -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Plants have            not been observed to be any more or less susceptible or            resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio spp.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once            established; high tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves borne on a single unbranched stem;            no lateral branching.        -   Quantity of main stems.—1.        -   Main stem dimensions.—10.2 cm long and 0.6 cm in diameter.        -   Internode length.—0.3 cm.        -   Aspect.—Rounded.        -   Attitude.—Nearly vertical.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Texture and luster.—Glabrous, glaucous, matte.        -   Fragrance.—When crushed, stem exhibits a somewhat spicy            fragrance typical of the species.        -   Color, when developing.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146C;            stem covered with a thick waxy layer colored nearest to in            between blue-green and greyed-green, RHS 122D and 190C.        -   Color of mature stem.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B;            stem covered with a thick waxy layer colored greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 190C.        -   Color at internodes.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B; stem            covered with a thick waxy layer colored greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 190C.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 33 leaves per stem.        -   Shape.—Narrow oblanceolate; distally falcate.        -   Dimensions.—7.3 cm long, 0.6 cm wide, and 0.7 cm thick, on            average.        -   Aspect.—Semi-terete to terete, typically with an obvious            longitudinal channel.        -   Attitude.—At an average angle of 45 degrees to the stem.        -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire, occasionally with one or two spines of an            average length of 0.3 cm; not undulated.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; strongly glaucous.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; strongly glaucous.        -   Fragrance.—When crushed, foliage exhibits a somewhat spicy            fragrance typical of the species.        -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in            between green and yellow-green, RHS NN137A and 147A; the            epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is greyed-green,            nearest to RHS 188A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface —            Nearest to in between green and yellow-green, RHS NN137A and            147A; the epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is            greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A. Mature foliage, adaxial            surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137C; the epicuticular wax            covering the leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS            188A. Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Green, nearest to            RHS NN137C; the epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface            is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A.        -   Venation.—No venation is visible on the adaxial surface;            parallel venation of the abaxial surface is colored            yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147A.        -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANTS AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMICU1908’ differ from the seed parent, anunnamed and unpatented Senecio kleiniiformis plant, in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘AMICU1908’ The seed parent. Foliage aspectSemi-terete to Proximally terete, and shape. terete and narrowprogressing to semi-terete oblanceolate. and ultimately opening up,distally, to a deltoid shape. Foliage strength. Stronger than Weakerthan ‘AMICU1908’. the parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMICU1908’ differ from the pollen parent,unnamed and unpatented Curio ficoides plant, in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘AMICU1908’ The pollen parent Stem diameter.Thinner than the parent. Thicker than ‘AMICU1908’. Foliage width.Narrower than the parent. Broader than ‘AMICU1908’. Foliage aspect.Semi-terete to terete; Terete; longitudinal typically with an obviouschannel is less longitudinal channel. prominent.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMICU1908’ differ from the closest knowncommercial comparator, the common form of the species Senecio ficoides‘Mount Everest’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,188), in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘AMICU1908’ ‘Mount Everest’ Growth habit. Morecompact than Less compact than ‘Mount Everest’. ‘AMICU1908’. Plantheight. Shorter than ‘Mount Taller than ‘AMICU1908’. Everest’. Foliageaspect. Semi-terete to terete; Terete; longitudinal channel typicallywith an obvious is less prominent. longitudinal channel. Foliage shape.Narrow oblanceolate and Oblanceolate; not falcate. distally falcate.Foliar margins. Occasionally producing No spines are produced two spineson opposite along the margins. sides of the leaf.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Senecio plantnamed ‘AMICU1908’, substantially described and illustrated herein.